Help Users Break Free from 24% APR Credit Cards
Build balance transfer calculators with real 0% intro APR offers from 4,300+ credit unions. Show users exactly how much they'll save—many credit unions even waive the transfer fee.
How Do Balance Transfer Apps Use RateAPI?
Balance transfer apps use RateAPI to find 0% APR offers with no transfer fees. When a user has $8,000 at 25% APR, the app queries credit union offers and shows: "Transfer to Golden 1: 0% for 18 months, $0 fee. Pay $444/mo to be debt-free." Real offers users can actually get—not bait-and-switch teasers.
Users Know Balance Transfers Exist But Can't Find Good Ones
Everyone's heard of 0% balance transfer offers, but finding one without a catch is exhausting. Major banks advertise "0% for 21 months" but hide the 5% transfer fee in fine print. That $500 fee on a $10K balance wipes out months of interest savings.
Credit unions offer genuinely good balance transfer deals—0% APR with $0 transfer fees—but they don't have the marketing budget to compete with Chase and Citi. Users don't know these offers exist, so they either pay the fee or keep paying 25% interest.
A $10K balance transferred from 25% to 0% saves $2,500 in one year. With no transfer fee, that's pure savings. Your app can surface these hidden credit union offers.
Build a Balance Transfer Calculator
Collect Current Card Details
Get the user's current balance, APR, and how much they can afford to pay monthly. This determines which balance transfer offers will actually help.
// User's current situationconst currentCard = { balance: 8000, apr: 24.99, monthlyPayment: 300, // current payment maxPayment: 500, // what they can afford state: "CA"};Query Balance Transfer Offers
Fetch credit union balance transfer cards with intro periods, fees, and ongoing APRs. Filter for 0% fee options to maximize savings.
// Fetch balance transfer offersPOST /v1/decisions{ "decision_type": "financing", "context": {"geo": {"state": "CA"}}, "product_request": { "product_type": "credit_card", "intent": "balance_transfer", "amount": 8000 }} // Response{ "recommendations": [{ "provider": "Golden 1 Credit Union", "card_name": "Platinum Rewards", "bt_intro_apr": 0, "bt_intro_months": 18, "bt_fee_percent": 0, "purchase_apr": 12.99, "annual_fee": 0 }]}Calculate Savings and Payment Plan
Show users how much they'll save, what monthly payment pays it off during intro, and what happens if they don't pay it off in time.
// Calculate balance transfer valueconst interestSaved = balance * (currentAPR / 100) * (introMonths / 12);// $8,000 * 0.2499 * 1.5 years = $2,999 saved const paymentToPayoff = balance / introMonths;// $8,000 / 18 = $444/month to be debt-free // Display:// "Golden 1: 0% APR for 18 months, $0 transfer fee"// "Pay $444/mo to be debt-free in 18 months"// "Total savings: $2,999 vs keeping current card"Built for Balance Transfer Apps
Zero Fee Offers
Many credit unions waive balance transfer fees entirely. Filter for bt_fee_percent=0 to show users the best deals—no hidden costs.
Intro Period Length
Compare intro periods from 6-21 months. Longer isn't always better— help users find the period that matches their payoff timeline.
Post-Intro APR
Credit union post-intro rates (12-15%) are half of bank rates (24-29%). Even if users don't pay off in time, they're still better off.
No Penalty APR
Credit unions rarely apply penalty APRs. One late payment won't spike the rate to 29.99%—unlike major bank cards.
Credit Union vs Bank Balance Transfers
Why do credit unions offer better balance transfer deals? They're not-for-profit member-owned cooperatives. They don't need to maximize fee revenue. The same $10K balance transfer looks very different:
Bank card: 0% for 21 months + 5% fee ($500) + 24.99% after intro
Credit union: 0% for 18 months + 0% fee ($0) + 12.99% after intro
If paid off in intro period, CU saves $500. If not paid off, CU saves thousands more in ongoing interest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about integrating credit card balance transfer data into your application.
Use POST /v1/decisions with product_type=credit_card, intent=balance_transfer, and the user's state. The response includes intro APR, intro period length, transfer fee, and ongoing APR from 4,300+ credit unions.
Yes, many credit unions offer 0% balance transfer fees, unlike most major banks that charge 3-5%. On a $10,000 transfer, that's $300-$500 saved immediately.
RateAPI returns purchase_apr, bt_intro_apr, bt_intro_months, bt_fee_percent, cash_advance_apr, annual_fee, and rewards_type for each credit card offer.
Compare interest saved during intro period vs transfer fee. A 3% fee on $10K = $300. If you'd pay $2,000 in interest keeping your current card, the transfer saves $1,700. Also ensure user can pay off during intro.
Show the post-intro APR and calculate total cost. Credit union cards often have 12-15% post-intro APR vs 24%+ at banks—still a win even if the intro period ends with a balance.
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